1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of devices for dispensing tabs having an adhesive coating on one surface thereof. More particularly, this invention relates to the field of devices for the itemized dispensing of a plurality of pressure-sensitive tabs for the splicing of magnetic recording tape, from a roll carrying a plurality of such tabs.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are many fields in which a plurality of pressure-sensitive labels, tags, tabs, etc. are used. For example, a grocery store, or other retail outlet has occasion to use pressure-sensitive price tags on merchandise. Consequently, it is useful to have a plurality of such tags in a form that is readily, and easily usable. One such form is a plurality of tags mounted on a backing strip having a slick surface, whereby the tags are easily peelable therefrom without damaging the pressure-sensitive characteristics of the tags. Thus, a plurality of tags may be mounted releasably on a strip of carrier material, and the carrier strip rolled into a compact unit.
Devices for dispensing labels or tags from such rolls have been developed. Such dispensers are generally in the form of a box, wherein is housed the roll of labels, having a slot on one corner edge thereof, through which is threaded the roll of labels. Provision is then made for bending the strip around a right-angle corner with the result that, as the strip passes around the corner, the labels adhering thereto may be peeled from the backing strip. Two examples of such dispensers are those disclosed in the patent to Avery, U.S. Pat. No. 2,372,245 and Kasper, U.S. Pat. No. 2,838,171. A problem present in such dispensers is the fact that in order to peel the label from the strip, one must handle the adhesively coated side of the label, thus impairing to some extent its pressure-sensitive qualities. In applications where it is necessary that the adhesive side of the tab not be handled, this is a fatal defect. For instance, when it becomes necessary to splice together two lengths of magnetic recording tape with a strip of splicer tape, the handling of the adhesively coated side of the pressure-sensitive tape would damage the splicer tape strip sufficiently to cause an unacceptable splice.
For the above-cited reason, short strips of splicing tape have been adapted to be releasably fixed on a handling strip; an entire tab, comprising handling strip and splicing strip, is then releasably mounted on a flexible carrying or backing strip in roll form. It is also well known that, because of the characteristics of magnetic recording tape, splices in such tape are best made by abutting opposed ends of the tape which ends have been sliced at an oblique angle, rather than at a right angle. Similarly, the splicing tape used should be sliced at oblique angles, rather than at right angles. Consequently, the strips of splicing tape utilized in the aforesaid tabs are trapezoidal in shape, as are the elongated handling strips. For purposes of commercial expediency, these tabs are mounted at an oblique angle on the carrier, or backing strip.
Label dispensers of the type previously mentioned have proven unsatisfactory for the itemized dispensing of the above-described splicer tape tabs. This is so because the oblique mounting of a plurality of elongated handling strips, in close spaced relationship to one another on the backing strip requires that in order to draw one tab clear of the housing and across the bending edge, whereby it may be peeled from the backing strip, at least a portion of the next succeeding strip must also be drawn across the bending edge, thus exposing the tab to the exterior of the housing, and to potential damage due to dust, handling, etc.